Hamilton, the team’s top prospect, played in 12 games for the big-league team this spring, hitting .174 with a .240 on-base percentage. He did hit a triple in his lone at-bat on Monday, adding to the one he hit Saturday against the Giants. Hamilton was sidelined with a minor leg injury earlier this spring, but played in each of the last three games for the Reds.

“He’s got to go play,” Reds manager Dusty Baker said. “There’s a lot he has to learn. People are enamored by speed — all of us are. But, he hasn’t been switch-hitting that long. You see his record here in spring training, he hasn’t been doing real well here. For a guy with speed, he’s been striking out too much. But we had him come here to see where his development is and where he is and realize that he has some ways to go. If he didn’t, he’d be here already. Let’s not rush him, let’s let him develop.”